Africa’s political and economic role “has been growing exponentially,” as the continent is becoming a new center of power, and all countries will have to reckon with that, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a plenary meeting of the Russia-Africa Summit on Friday.

“We are witnessing the African continent becoming a new center of power. Its political and economic role has been growing exponentially, and everybody will have to reckon with this objective reality,” he said.

Putin pointed to the African peace initiative on Ukraine as an indicator of the continent’s increased role. “That says a lot as, previously, any mediatory missions were the exclusive monopoly of the so-called developed democracies,” the Russian leader emphasized.

The second Russia-Africa Summit is taking place at St. Petersburg’s Expoforum on July 27-28, in parallel with an economic and humanitarian forum. Similar to the first such summit in 2019, the event is being held under the rubric “For Peace, Security and Development.” The event is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the event’s official information partner and photo-hosting agency.

Source: Agencies